But the these questions wouldn’t go away, So, in the end, we tried playing the songs again.

Original members of the band guided by Bruce Watson, found the energy and passion that was still there in the material. It was a truly amazing experience.

After recording a new album Burning Cities we played all over the UK. It was difficult not to smile with joy every night. Fans had become friends who cared about the music and words and the live performances as much as we did.

Amidst all of this happy madness Bruce and I played a few songs acoustically at a charity night in our hometown of Dunfermline. This was something I thought could never be done. These songs were written to be played with electric guitars after all. But the songs had a different power when played acoustically, a new energy. For the first time ever the words were centre stage and we found new melodies and arrangements for songs that for the people who cared might have thought would be impossible.

Under Bruce's production guidance we recorded songs from all of the different phases of the band, from every album. And it was all there, evident in the songs: triumph, rage, camaraderie, and a positivity that has always been and will always be the motivation of the bands music and words.

The intimacy of the recordings re-introduce the songs with my voice at their heart with a genuine vulnerability and honesty. Im not the greatest of singers but those qualities are something to be proud of especially in an era where they might be regarded as being pointless. I don’t think so.

The Royal Albert Hall is delighted to present a one-off evening featuring three pioneering bands from the first generation of punk and new wave: Buzzcocks, The Skids and Penetration.

Since this gig was announced, the music world was shocked by the tragic death of Buzzcocks singer Pete Shelley in December. As a result, the band have decided to turn this concert into a celebration of his life and musical genius, compered by Paul Morley.

A host of special guests will be joining Buzzcocks on stage, including Tim Burgess (The Charlatans), Captain Sensible and Dave Vanian (The Damned), Peter Perrett (Only Ones), Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), Richard Jobson (The Skids) and Pauline Murray (Penetration), as well as ‘classic’ Buzzcocks members John Maher and Steve Garvey.

Buzzcocks, formed in Manchester in 1976, boast a catalogue of singles including Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t‘ve), What Do I Get? and Promises. The band remain one of the most popular and name-checked bands from the era.

Dunfermline band The Skids twice hit the UK Top 20 with their albums Scared to Dance (1979) and The Absolute Game (1980). Following occasional reunions, they reformed in 2017 and celebrated the release of their fifth studio album, Burning Cities, in 2018.

The night will also see a set from Ferryhill band Penetration. Fronted by Pauline Murray, the band reached No. 22 in the album charts with debut album Moving Targets.

This sees yet more bands from one of UK music’s halcyon periods celebrate their legacy at the Hall, following on from the sell-out success of The Damned’s 40th anniversary show in 2016. Each band will be performing something special for what promises to be a unique evening in a memorable setting.